Pages

Sunday, 5 January 2014

Some myths about bisexuality

As a bisexual person, I find that many people don’t
understand us.

Recently, I saw a doctor who had reason to ask about my
sexual activities. When I mentioned that I am attracted to men (as well as
women) he asked when I had ceased to be “straight”. He is a health professional, working in acute
psychiatry; is it any surprise our NHS is in such a state?

That, however, is merely the tip of the iceberg. Here are a
few myths that need dispelling – not least because they diminish the humanity
and identity of myself and others like me.

1. Bisexuality is a lifestyle. No it isn’t. No more than liking
cats or enjoying sci-fi movies is a lifestyle. (Actually, on second thoughts,
the latter might not be a good example). I have encountered this attitude so
often that it’s beyond frustrating.

There are conservative Christians out there who seem, rather
judgementally and unfairly, to assume my defence of LGBT rights stems from my “lifestyle”
rather than a well-thought out moral and philosophical position. There are others
who imagine that simply by identifying myself as being bisexual suggests a particular
“lifestyle”. I’m not really sure what this “lifestyle” thing actually means,
but I for one have been with the same amazing woman for the last 14 years.
Bisexuality is an orientation – not at all the same thing as a lifestyle.

2. Bisexual people are promiscuous. No, they are not. At least no more
promiscuous than anyone else. I’m sure some people would like us to be, but
there really is no factual basis to this supposition.

3. Bisexual people are attracted to everyone. I’ve experienced
this far too often: “Ah, so you swing both ways. You fancy everyone, right?”
Erm, wrong. Bisexual people are attracted to people they find attractive, just
like anyone else. Personally I find intellect, a caring personality, and a
sense of humour to be far more important a factor in determining attractiveness
than an individual’s gender – but that’s just me. Bisexual people simply aren’t
limited to being attracted to people of a particular sex.

4. Bisexual people are not straight or gay people who have
changed their minds. This is quite a common misconception – and it isn’t just
people like the aforementioned doctor who fail badly here. A friend had once
come out as gay - when he later
announced that he was in fact bi some in the LGBT community unkindly suggested
that he had “once come out, now [he was] going back in”.

Human sexuality is complex and fluid. Many of us will have
gone through periods when we are unsure of our identities – in my case it took
a long time for me to recognise and embrace mine. Those who look at sexual identity
2-dimensionally, exclusively in terms of gay and straight, don’t seem able to
grasp this truth. Don’t put us into pre-determined boxes of socially-defined
conformity – see us for who we are.

5. Bisexual people have more fun than others. Erm, no. See
point #1 – most of us are in committed relationships and, while we do have a
great deal of fun with our partners, have probably no more than straight or gay
couples.

6...”But you have such adventurous lives.” Whatever. I work,
watch TV, play computer games, go shopping, tweet a lot, play tennis, run a business,
enjoy art and look after a 17 month old girl. The latter actually takes up most
of my time. While many of us have interesting lives, I don’t think bisexuality
is a passport to adventure.

7.“But if you like guys so much, why are you with a woman?” Yawn!
Bisexuals are not gay people who have heterosexual bits on the side – how hard
is it to understand that?

8. “You ARE gay, you’ve just not accepted it yet”. Bisexual
people are not people who lack the courage to be themselves – quite the
opposite in fact! It’s a shame that others so often don’t have the courage to
accept that not everyone fits into their convenient “two labels cover everyone”
view of human sexuality.

9. “Wow! So you’re bi! That’s just, like, so ...well, COOL!”
Really? What’s really cool is not making assumptions about people based on
labels such as “gay” or “bi”. I don’t really see what’s cool about being bi –
personally, I think it’s much cooler to have a social conscience.

10. Bi people are different. “So what’s it like being a bi dad?” I was asked last
year, when I became a dad for the first time. The person who asked had absolutely
no idea how offensive they were being: what difference does it make whether I’m
gay, bi, trans, poly or even straight? (can’t imagine ever being the latter
though). Becoming a dad is great, whatever orientation you happen to be. The
real point being that our lives are not remarkably different because of
something as trivial as whether we like men, women or both.

In any case, I define myself far more by who I fall in love with than I do my orientation - surely it's simply a human thing to love and be loved? Why does orientation make it different?

12. "You're just curious" or "You'll grow out of it". Shut up. Take your ignorance elsewhere. Bisexuality is an integral and significant part of our identity. It isn't something that's grown out of.

13. And finally...“but you know what bisexual people do?” The
attitude behind this kind of remark is a combination of several of the above –
but I add it as I’ve heard it personally on so many occasions.

Enlighten me...what DO bi people do that others don’t? There is obviously a
huge difference between what some think we do and what we actually do – which is
just to get on with life.

I've always thought that people who are curious about or comment upon other people's sexuality are showing that they have an emptiness somewhere within their own lives.

It simply doesn't occur to me when I meet someone, what kind of sexual activities they might prefer.

And I wonder what kind of person does think much about someone else's sex life... unless of course the someone is someone that one fancies!

It struck me when, a few years ago, there was a bit of a stir over the fact that guest house owners had been told that they couldn't refuse a bed to gay couples.

They were, I think, strong Christians, catholics, and as such found gay sex to be offensive, wrong, and against the teachings of the Bible.

OK... I can understand that, although I don't agree with it, but one of them reportedly said... "just imagine what these people are doing in our beds".

And it seemed that he nor anyone else thought that a bizarre thing to say.

I kinda wondered if these people, good and strict Christians that they purported to be, spent a lot of their time imagining the potential sexual adventures of their guests, and indeed if they limited this activity to guests...?

Did they,perchance, sit in church imagining the activities of the people in front of them?

They seemed to have no idea that what they were saying made them sound like out and out perverts.

I find it strange and somewhat worrying that anyone gives any consideration to the sexual activities of anyone else, except their partner.

Awards and reviews

Reviews of A Scottish Liberal

"Andrew is an excellent writer and analyst about a broad range of policy and philosophical topics. It is great to see him recognised as such across Scotland and throughout the UK. And he speaks Gaelic." Gavin Hamilton, A View from the Hills

"Every one of our MP's should read this. Best blog I have read this year." Gerry McGregor, Thoughts of a Caithness Loon

"Andrew has an easy style of writing and a moderate and thought-out approach to his subject. He is as likely to criticise his own party, as he is another. In short he thinks for himself, makes his arguments accordingly and is nobody's yes man." Tris, Munguin's Republic

"The blog by Andrew Page is well worth visiting. He seems to be a man that will not bow down to party dogma [unlike the Labour MPs and MSPs]. I respect a man who is willing to shelve his career to do what he thinks is right."Gedguy, My Frustrated Rants

Andrew Page - A Scottish Liberal

Andrew is a member of the Liberal Democrats, who feels politics is at its best when it empowers and is at its worst when it descends into tribal adversarialism.
Andrew is is the treasurer of the Lib Dem Mental Health Association. He is also a member of the Council for British Archaeology, the Liberal Democrat History Group, Lib Dems Against Trident, Lib Dems for a Republic and the Liberal Democrat Association of Trade Unionists.
Thoughts expressed on here are Andrew's own and occasionally may differ from those of the Scottish Liberal Democrats.